Method of knitting nonrun shaped hosiery blanks



Sept. 10, 1935. E. E. CARLSON METHOD OF KNII'TiNG ,NONRUN SHAPED HOSIERYBLANKS Filed Feb. 1, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 10, 1935. E. E. CARLSON2,014,126

METHOD OF KNITTING NONRUN SHAPED HOSIERY BLANKS 4 Sheets-She et 3' FiledFeb, 1, 1954 lnveni ori I EZiswor'i/Fo E Caz ison.

Sept. 10, 1935. E. E. CARLSON METHOD OF KNITTING NONRUN SHAPED HOSIERYBLANKS Filed Feb. 1, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 173716 @7707.- EZZs 2002 2515. Caz ason Patented Sept. 10, 1935 PATENT oFFicE METHOD OF KNITTINGNONRUN SHAPED HOSIERY BLANKS Ellsworth E. Carlson, Saratoga. Springs, N.Y., assignor to Van Raalte Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application February 1, 1934, Serial No. #09302 Claim.

This invention relates to a method of knittin non-run shaped hosieryblanks.

In order that the principle of my invention may be readily understood, Ihave disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings,wherein- Fig. 1 is a parallel sided blank of non-run characterconstructed in accordance with my invention, as it comes from thefull-fashioned knitting machine, and to'which the sole of the foot andthe toe are to be knitted;

Fig. 2 is a similar view representing the blank when it has been cut toshape;

Fig. 3 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but representing the soleand side portions of the ifoot and the toe as having been knitted ontothe blank;

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective representing the manner of knittingthe welt;

Fig. 5 is'a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of non-run full-fashioned hosiery asdisclosed in my original application Ser. No. 541,245, filed June 1,1931, now Patent No. 1,989,913, February 5, 1935, the fabric disclosedin this application being of the same non-run characteristic as shown insaid original application, rendered so by the presence of a warp threadin and restricted to each needle wale throughout the entire extent ofthe fabric;

Fig. 7 is a detail upon a very much enlarged scale showing the knittingof individual warp threads in the respective needle wales of the fabricof Fig. 6 as well as of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and

Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive are perspective views indicating the manner offorming the welt upon each blank without setting the fabric up anew uponthe needles and warp thread fingers of the machine.

Referring first to Figs. 6 and 7 of the application. I have in Fig. 6represented at l the leg or calf portion of a full-fashioned stockingwhich is rendered of a non-run character by reason of the knitting of awarp thread 2 into each needle wale 3 of the fabric but not into thesinker wales t thereof. The purpose of knitting in the said warp threads2 is to render the fabric of a non-run character throughout while at thesame time preserving the full lateral expansibility of the fabric in themanner fully disclosed in my said Patent No. 1,989,913. The saidstocking shown in Fig. 6 is provided with a welt 5. The instep 6 isdesirably knitted as a direct and integral continuation of the legportion l, and the warp threads 2 are continued into the respectiveneedle wales throughout the instep portion 6.

own needle wale, I am not confined thereto as to all features of myinvention, since I am the first, so far as I am aware, to knit a non-runblank and then to out the same to shape.

Referring more particularly to the stocking of my invention shown inFigs. 1 to 5 inclusive, and 15 to the matter of forming the welt thereofillustrated in Figs. 8 to 12, it is to be understood that the fabric isknitted upon a full-fashioned knitting machine, but that in making thesaid fabric,

I do not either effect a lateral transfer of loops at the points wherefashionings would normally be provided, as, for example, just below thewelt and in the calf portion and in the heel, nor do I shorten thetraverse of the main knitting or I weft thread from time to time inorder to shape the fabric. Both of these other methods of procedure arefully disclosed and claimed in applications already filed by me, andcertain of which have issued as Patents, viz, Nos. 1,978,408, 1,978,409,and 1,978A12. In the present case, however, I knit the fabric of uniformwidth from the commencement of the welt down to the toe as isillustrated in Fig. 1 at in, and then, as illustrated in Fig. 2, I cutor trim the fabric along certain lines, as will be fully disclosed.Preferably after trimming the fabric, I kniton the sides and bottom ofthe foot and the toe, as indicated in Fig. 3, and then seam up thefabric.

Referring more in detail to said Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the welt portion ofthe fabric is indicated generally at II and the preferred manner offorming this welt will be hereinafter disclosed.

It is to be understood that the fabric of Fig. 1 is knitted upon aspring beard needle machine of any suitable type, as, for example, thewell known Reading machine, but without employing transfer points ornarrowing points. The

,rnachine is desirably of a fine gauge, and the fabric may be of anysuitable weight or character, as, for example, chiffon or service weightor of some, intermediate weight. The machine is, however, providedby-me, in accordance with my invention, with a warp thread finger,desirably one for each needle, and in the knitting of the fabric eachwarp is fed to its needle in the man ner fully described in my PatentNo. 1,978,412, October 30, 1934. In setting up the machine for suchfabric, it is evident that much time is necessarily involved inintroducing each warp thread to the proper needle, and, as will behereinafter disclosed, it is an important feature of my invention, butwhich, however, may be used in various relations, that the series ofblanks constituting the successive leg portions of the stockings beintegrally connected together, so as to avoid setting up the machine asto the warp threads thereof at the completion of each leg blank. Inother words, the fabric is knitted as a continuous string, each legblank being severed at a proper time after the knitting of the new blankhas commenced, and thus preserving the continuity of the in roduction ofthe warp threads to.

the respective needles.

Assuming that all the blanks are set up or started upon the respectivesections of the machine, each blank |0 is knitted parallel sided fromthe commencement of the welt at a point which may be the line l2 ofFigs. 4 and 5, down to the line l3, l3 of Fig. 1 (and in fact throughthe short zone H, to be hereinafter referred to) and so on through theformation of the succeeding blanks.

In knitting the said blank, I preferably introduce colored or otherwisecontrasting warps at six points l5, l5, l6, l6 and l6, l6, as a guidefor cutting the fabric blank. The said colored warps are, of course,continuous throughout the series of blanks, but the coloring material isof such nature that it is readily washed out in the treatment of thefabric blank in completing the stocking after the knitting operation.

During the knitting operation, I reinforce what become the high spliceand heel portions l1, l1 and also the terminal portions of the instep I8at IS, IS. This is done by introducing extra weft thread carriers, eachtraversing a portion only of the width of the fabric in a mannercustomary in the Reading machine and which need not be furtherdescribed.

After the blank of Fig. 1 has been knitted and either before or afterthe remainder of the foot and the toe have been knitted thereonto, theblank is trimmed along the inclined lines 20, 20 and 20', 20, for thecalf shaping and the shaping at the knee just below the welt, and inorder to locate the points at which said inclined lines commence andterminate, I may provide suitable indications or markings and preferablyby providing at each edge of the fabric where the inclined lines ofcutting should commence and terminate, a small indentation or notch 22|, 22, 22, as by varying the feeding of the weft thread inward and thenoutward to the extent of two needles at each edge. This fixes the exactlocation of the inclined lines or cut edges 20, 20 and 20', 20"of thestocking. The fabric blank is also cut at the termination 23 of eachheel or high splice reinforcement, as shown in Fig. 2, and alsolengthwise the blank, at 24, 24, preferably through the reinforcementsl1, I! for the heel. Desirably, also, the reinforcement at the heel iscontinued along narrow lines25, 25down to and so as to merge into thereinforcements IS, IS, hereinbefore referred to.

After the trimming has been efiected along the lines 24 of Fig. 2, andthe areas 21, 21 of Fig. 1 have been trimmed away, the heel tabs areturned outwardly, as indicated at 28, 28, Fig. 3, and then 29 areknitted as continuations of the heel tabs 'in looping the toe.

and the toe portion 30 is knitted with fashioning 3|, 3|, this beingpreferably done upon the usual footer and without the employment of warpthreads in the needle wales of the said side and sole portions of thefoot, and in the toe.

At a suitable time, the fabric is seamed up along the longitudinal lines32, 32 at the edges of' the instep, and also the outer edges 33, 33 areseamed together to complete the foot and the stocking is seamed up themedian back line of the leg along the cut parallel lines 34, 34 of Fig.2, the cut inclined lines 20, 20, Fig. 2, and the selvaged edges 35, 35of Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that the outer corners 26 (Fig.2) of the heel tabs are also trimmed or rounded before the blank isseamed up.

The knitting of the welt in such manner as to avoid reintroducing thewarp threads to the needles is effected as shown in the diagrammaticviews, Figs. 8 to 12, reference being also made to Figs. 4 and 5.

It will be assumed that the machine has been set up as hereinbeforedescribed and that the knitting has continued throughout the formationof the first blank, as indicated in Fig. 8. In that figure, the take-uproll for the fabric is indicated at 36, and the fabric blank I0 isrepresented as extending therefrom to the needles 31. The welt stick isindicated at 38. It will be observed that between the extremity of theinstep portion I8 and the needles, there is the short extra zone Id ofthe full width of the fabric. Several important functions are served bythe provision of the said extra zone. It is not possible, or at least itwould be exceedingly difficult, to trim or sever one blank from the nexton the machine and to do this accurately. By providing the extrazone,,the knitter can separate the blanks with scissors roughly, andlater they can be trimmed accurately. The welt is turned in the mannerdescribed without having pressed off the previous hose or stocking blankprior to the commencement of the welt, and thus the short extra zonecooperates in several ways to facilitate the entire knitting operation.It may be mentioned that when making an English foot, the extra zoneconstitutes a finger-hold for the topper when topping on for the footer.In the case of a hose made on a unit machine, the said extra zone wouldbe used as a finger-hold for the looper In either case (that is, withthe English foot on the legger and footer system or the French foot onthe unit machine), the extra zone serves as a finger-hold for topping orlooping, and facilitates the quick severing of ting is continued for theformation of the new welt, and in Fig. 10 the new welt is indicated at43, the blank I0 of the previous hose being shown as partly accumulatingupon the take-up roll 36. In Fig. 11, the welt bar 40 has been placed onthe needles to turn the welt in the well understood manner. In thisfigure, the straps 44 are shown as hooked onto the welt stick 38, whichruns through the welt, but actually the said straps are not booked upuntil the welt bar has been reneedles when said additional zone has beenknitmoved. A few inches more of fabric are then knitted, as indicated inFig. 12, where a portion of the new hose or stocking blank following thewelt is indicated at 46, and then the old hose or stocking blank I3 isheld up by the operator and trimmed off at the line 41, as indicated inFig. 12. This leaves a short protruding portion 48, shown also in Figs.4 and 5, which protruding portion is subsequently trimmed off, orotherwise removed.

In this manner an integral welt is completed which is turned and notsewed, which welt is of an entirely non-run character, because eachneedle wale thereof isprovided with its own 'warp thread.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that I haveprovided a blank which is of an entirely non-run character because ofwarp threads, one for each needle wale, and that the said warp threadsare continuous throughout the welt and that the welt is a turned welt,the

making of which, however, .does not require the setting up of themachine after the formation of each blank.

I desire it to be understood that the feature of forming the welt,without setting up the machine as to the warp threadsthereof, at thetermination of each leg blank may be used either with the feature ofcutting the blank as herein d6:- scribed or it may be employedindependently thereof, as, for example, in the making of a nonrun fabricblank that is either (1) shaped or fashioned wherever desired by lateraltransfer of stitches composed of the main knitting thread and therespective warp threads, as, for example, just below the welt, at thecalf portions of the leg and/or in the heel, or (2)'in making a fabricthat isshaped or fashioned by terminating needle wales through the actof shortening the traverse of the main knitting or weft thread whereverdesired, as, for example, just below the welt and being knitted withoutlateral transfer of stitches of the warp and weft threads and withoutshortening the traverse of the welt thread, inasmuch as said claims formthe subject matter of a divisional application to be duly filled.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the blank and ofthe stocking andthe best mode known for making the same, it is to beunderstood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in ageneric and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, thescope of the invention being set forth in the following Lelaims.

I claim:

1. That method of knitting including providing a non-run welt upon anon-run stocking having a main or weft thread throughoutand having warpthreads in the needle Wales thereof to render the same of a non-runcharacter, which includes knitting a stocking blank of said weft threadand said warp threads to the toe portion of the full width of thefabric, continuing the knitting of the full width of the blank toprovide an additional zone, inserting welt hooks at the ted, continuingtheknitting to provide fabric of suflicient length to constitute aturned welt for the next stocking blank, turning the welt to permit thecontinuation of the fabric of the said new blank, severing the blank forthe previous stocking at said zone without removing from the needles thenew fabric formed subsequent to the described welt and similarlyknitting the said next stocking blank. 10

2. That method of knitting including providing a non-run Welt upon anon-run stocking having a main or Weft thread throughout and having warpthreads in the needle wales thereof to render the same of a non-runcharacter, which includes knitting a stocking blank of said Weft threadand. said warp threads to the toe portion of the full width of thefabric, continuing the knitting of the full width of the blank toprovide an additional zone, inserting welt hooks at the needles whensaid additional zone has been knitted, continuing the knitting toprovide fabric of sufficient length to constitute a turned welt for thenext stocking blank, turning the welt to permit the continuation of thefabric of the said new blank, severing the blank for the said previousstocking at said zone without removing from the needles the new fabricformed subsequent to the described welt, and similarly knitting the saidnext stocking blank.

3. That method of knitting a string of stocking blanks all of a non-runcharacter and each stocking blank having integrally formed therewith aturned welt of similar non-run character, which includes knitting courseafter course of a mainor weft thread, and introducing a series of warpthreads into the respective needle wales in number substantiallycorresponding to the number of said wales, and in so doing knitting eachstocking blank of the same width from the 40 top thereof to the toe,continuing the knitting of the full width of the blank to provide anadditional zone to facilitate the subsequent manual manipulation of theblanks in the said knitting operation, then knitting and turning as thecommencement of the next stocking blank, a welt portion wherein the saidwarp threads are continuations respectively of the warp threads of thepreceding stocking blank, and, in the said knitting of the successivestocking blanks integrally, continuing the respective warp threadsthroughout the said stocking blanks including the respective weltsthereof.

4. That method of knitting including providing a non-run welt upon anon-run stocking having a main or weft thread throughout and having warpthreads in the needle wales thereof to render the same of a non-runcharacter, which includes knitting a stocking blank of said weft threadand said warp threads to the toe portion of the full width of thefabric, continuing the knitting of the full width of the blank to provide an additional zone to facilitate the subse quent manualmanipulation of the blanks in the said knitting operation, continuingthe knitting to provide fabric of sufficient length to constitute aturned welt for the nextstocking blank, turning the welt to permit thecontinuation of the fabric of the said new blank, severing the blank forthe previous stocking at said zone with-" out removing from the needlesthe new fabric formed subsequent to the described welt, and similarlyknitting the said next stocking blank. 5. That method of knitting acontinuous string of flat-knit stocking blanks, each of which blanks hasa welt knitted integral therewith, which method includes knittingsuccessive courses having a weft thread to form a stocking blank, saidknitting being continued to the toe portion of the blank of the fullwidth of the fabric, continuing the said knitting of the full width ofthe blank to provide an additional zone to facilitate the subsequentmanual manip'ulation of the blanks in the said knitting operation,continuing the knitting of the full width to provide fabric ofsufficient length to constitute 8.

turned welt for the next stocking blank, turning the welt to permit thecontinuation of the knitting of the fabric of the said new blankportion, severing the blank for the previous stocking at said additionalzone without removing from the needles the new fabric formed subsequentto the described welt, similarly knitting the said next stocking blank,and continuing the said steps throughout the knitting of the said stringof stocking blanks.

ELLSWORTH E. CARLSON.

